


Night Time, My Time

by strawberrylace



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Jakku is in Arizona go figure?, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Tumblr Prompt, literally spent a week trying to figure this story out and i hope it's good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-30 01:03:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6401617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberrylace/pseuds/strawberrylace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's something interesting about the young man that comes into the diner in the wee hours during Rey's shift...</p>
<p>Based off of Tumblr AU-“You come into my 24 hour diner at the oddest times because of your weird job but you keep forgetting that we talk because you’re always sleep deprived.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Night Time, My Time

**Author's Note:**

> So this was an idea that had been brewing in my head for over a week and I couldn't get it out of my head no matter how many times I tired (and failed miserably) to write it down. Well, I finally did it! I hope you all enjoy and I do apologize if it's got errors in it!

Rey was more than certain that the clock was stuck. After blinking at it many times, the time was still 1:41A. Either that or working the night shift was starting to mess with her head. It had to be clock. Normally, she was fine working the graveyard shift. Her schedule was laid out so that she had time for her engineering classes in the morning, slept in the afternoon, and then went to work at Coolidge’s, the 24 hour diner, at night. 

There was definitely something wrong with the clock. Her boss had fixed it right before he had to leave for a family emergency but they must have been faulty batteries. This was going to bug her all night. Pressing her face on the glass door, she looked out at the parking lot to see if anyone was around. It was a quiet and calm night in Jakku, Arizona. There were a few cars that drove past but there was no one in the parking lot. Might as well fix it now, Rey thought to herself. There were only a couple of hours left of her shift. There was a good chance no one else was going to come in. 

Rey enjoyed working the night shift. It seemed to be the one time the most interesting people of Jakku would come in. Most of these were insomniacs that were passing through the town, as this diner was settled virtually in the middle of nowhere, right next to the highway. As a passerby, you weren’t able to miss it. At night you could see the illuminated sign for miles and when you got close, the bright Coolidge’s sign with the smoking cowboy lit up in your face. It was good business and business was usually booming. 

The clock was now fixed. 2:09 it read. A couple of hours left. Rey remembered she had a quiz in the morning. Was it for her first class? No, the next class, she assured herself. There would be time to quickly scan her notes in between classes. Not that it would be the end of the world. She was a good student for the most part and a hard worker. She took great pride in that, as did her boss.

The bell rang at the front of the door. Rey jumped and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that it was only a customer. He was dressed quite sharp in a midnight blue suit with a black tie underneath a crisp white shirt. His black patent leather shoes made a click clack noise on the mint green tile floor with each step he took. He was a young man, give or take a couple years older than her and he was quite handsome. She wondered if he was an important man with how well he was dressed. He walked over to the counter and set his briefcase down as he took a seat. Straightening her apron out, she walked behind the counter and smiled. 

“Hi,” she greeted him. “What can I get for you?” 

“Just a coffee please,” said the young man tiredly. 

Rey nodded her head, going to the kitchen to brew him a fresh pot. Just a while latter, she had a fresh cup ready for the young man. She leaned forward as she watched him take a sip of the coffee. 

“Good?” she asked. 

The young man nodded, setting his cup down. “Yes, thank you.” 

“Come here often?” 

“Hmm?” 

“I don’t think I’ve seen you before, that’s all.” 

“Oh, I was on my way home from work actually and I figured I’d stop in here. Can’t miss that smoking cowboy sign.” 

Rey giggled. “What is it that you do?” 

“I’m a funeral director.” 

“Oh?” 

“Well, not yet. I’m doing an apprenticeship at a funeral home so that I can become a funeral director. Closing in my year there and once I pass the exam, it’ll be official!” 

“A funeral director? That’s an interesting profession.” 

The young man shrugged. “I get that a lot.” He finished off his coffee and smiled. “This was a good cup of coffee. Can I have another please?” 

“Sure.” 

Pot in hand, she poured the young man another cup. 

“Do you always work this late?” the young man asked. 

“Every day,” Rey nodded. “I like the night shift. You meet a lot of interesting people at this hour. You’d be surprised at how friendly they are.” 

“Does it get lonely?” 

“Sometimes, when days like today are quiet. But most times, no.” 

Finishing off his second cup of coffee, the young man gathered his suitcase and left his payment on the counter. 

“You make a good cup of coffee,” he said. 

“I appreciate that, um…” 

“Finn. Name’s Finn.” 

“Hi Finn. Rey. Nice to meet you. Come back again soon.” 

Finn nodded. “I’d very much like to.” 

Finn didn’t come back the next night. Rey had a fresh pot of coffee waiting for him in case he did but when it came time for her to head home, she was a little heartbroken. She figured perhaps he didn’t have to work so late that night. However, she didn’t lose hope that he’d come back tomorrow. After all, tomorrow was just another day. 

The next night after, Rey was mopping up a mess someone had left at one of the booths. Some poor college kid got sick and threw up on the floor. His friends kept apologizing profusely to her, insisting that it wasn’t the food that was the problem. She wiped the floor down clean of the chunks that were thrown up until it was completely spotless. On the table, there was a handsome tip left with a little note scribbled on the bill. “Sorry for the mess.” They left her a ten dollar tip. Quite generous of them she said to herself, as she tucked the money in her pocket. 

Just then, Finn walked in the door and took his seat at the counter. Today he wore a black suit with a dark blue tie underneath. He set his briefcase down on the counter and sighed, rubbing his eyes. Rey hurried back behind the counter and grinned. 

“Hey you!” she said excitedly. 

Finn was startled. “Uh…hi?” 

Rey frowned. “Do you remember me?” 

“Have we met before?” 

“You came in here the day before and got coffee. You’re the funeral director. Or at least, becoming one. Ringing a bell?” 

Finn thought for a moment and then snapped his fingers. “Rey! Wow, sorry about that, I’m just sleep deprived is all.” 

“I have a fresh pot waiting for you.” 

“Yes, thank you.” 

With a cup and saucer ready, Rey poured the young funeral director-to-be a hot cup of coffee. Finn took a sip. 

“So sleep deprived?” asked Rey. 

“Yeah,” said Finn quietly. “It comes with the job. You’re on call at weird hours and sometimes you have to drop everything and head down to the funeral home to take care of business. My business just happens to be the most unpredictable.” 

“I can’t imagine. Does it get depressing?” 

“Not really. It’s a weird job I know. I could write a book on the things I’ve seen at my apprenticeship.” 

“I’d like to hear one, if you don’t mind.” 

Finn thought for a moment, trying to figure out which story he could tell. 

“Well,” he said. “There was this one time. Actually, this happened to me yesterday! So we had a funeral yesterday and it was for this guy. Lived a good, long life. So during the service, his widow dies.” 

“She died?!” Rey gasped. 

“Right there in front of the casket and everything. Everyone thought she was sleeping. I did too! The daughter tried to wake her up during the eulogy and when she realized that she wasn’t asleep, the daughter just screams.” 

“Oh my god. Poor girl!” 

“Yup. It was an interesting afternoon to say the least.” 

“I’m sorry. Man, that’s just…bizarre, you know?” 

“Keeps the job interesting I guess.” 

Rey and Finn had a good laugh over a couple of other stories like the time he and another director were in a car and almost crashed into the funeral home as well as the time that a widow tried to ask Finn out on a date after the funeral had ended. After the second cup of coffee, Finn had to make his way back home. 

“I do apologize in advance if I don’t remember our talks,” said Finn before he left. “I work odd hours so forgive me if I forget.” 

“It’s alright,” said Rey. “As long as you keep coming by here, you make my nights interesting and fun. Plus, I'd love to hear more of your stories.” 

“Rey?” 

“Yes?” 

“Would you like to go out sometime? It wouldn’t be at such a ridiculous hour or anything. That is unless you want it to. Though I’d prefer a normal hour so that we could have a normal conversation in which I can fully remember.” 

Rey beamed with excitement. “I would like that very much! As long as you remember the next time you come in that we will have a date in the near future.” 

Finn nodded. “I wouldn’t want to forget something like that.”

**Author's Note:**

> My knowledge of funeral directors is limited to the stories I've heard from my friend so I thank her for inspiring that aspect! 
> 
> Thanks again for reading! :) xx


End file.
